# Virginia HB2034: Tidal and nontidal wetlands; policy task force to evaluate policies regarding protection, etc. Virginia HB2034, Tidal and nontidal wetlands; policy task force to evaluate policies regarding protection, etc., is a 2025 Regular Session House bill sponsored by Shelly A. Simonds (Democratic); status to governor, last action 2025-04-02 (Senate concurred in Governor's recommendation (40-Y 0-N)) (as of 2026-10-17). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB2034-2025 - As of: 2026-10-17 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: Virginia HB2034 - State: Virginia - Session: 2025 Regular Session - Title: Tidal and nontidal wetlands; policy task force to evaluate policies regarding protection, etc. - Status: to governor - Chamber: House - Introduced: 2025-01-07 - Last action: 2025-04-02, Senate concurred in Governor's recommendation (40-Y 0-N) - Sponsor: Shelly A. Simonds (Democratic) - Cosponsors: 0 - Touches household money: no - Roll calls: 8 (339 yes, 18 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 0 ## Summary Secretary of Natural and Historic Resources; protection of existing tidal and nontidal wetlands; wetland restoration and creation; policy task force; report. Directs the Secretary of Natural and Historic Resources to establish a policy task force to develop (i) strategies to protect existing tidal and nontidal wetlands and restore, create, and plan for the persistence of such wetlands in the Commonwealth and (ii) mechanisms to incorporate such strategies into appropriate plans, including the Virginia Flood Protection Master Plan and the Virginia Coastal Resilience Master Plan, to address losses and adverse impacts from human activities and climate change. The bill requires the task force to include certain relevant stakeholders, to meet at least two times annually, to report its initial findings and recommendations to the Chairs of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources and House Committee on Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources by December 1, 2025, and to update its report at least every two years. ## Bill overview No economic impacts identified for this bill. ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Shelly A. Simonds (Democratic), House ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2025-04-02 | Senate | Senate concurred in Governor's recommendation | pass | 40 | 0 | | | 2025-04-02 | House | House concurred in Governor's recommendation Block Vote | pass | 96 | 0 | | | 2025-02-14 | Senate | Passed Senate Block Vote | pass | 36 | 0 | | | 2025-02-13 | Senate | Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) | pass | 40 | 0 | | | 2025-02-11 | Senate | Reported from Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources | pass | 15 | 0 | | | 2025-01-28 | House | Read third time and passed House | pass | 80 | 18 | | | 2025-01-22 | House | Reported from Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources with amendment(s) | pass | 22 | 0 | | | 2025-01-20 | House | Subcommittee recommends reporting with amendment(s) | pass | 10 | 0 | 1 | ## Actions (40) - 2025-04-02: Senate concurred in Governor's recommendation (40-Y 0-N) (Senate) - 2025-04-02: Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0647) (Governor) - 2025-04-02: Reenrolled bill text (HB2034ER2) (House) - 2025-04-02: Reenrolled (House) - 2025-04-02: Enacted, Chapter 647 (Effective 07/01/25) (House) - 2025-04-02: Signed by President as reenrolled (Senate) - 2025-04-02: Signed by Speaker as reenrolled (House) - 2025-04-02: Governor's recommendation adopted (Governor) - 2025-04-02: House concurred in Governor's recommendation Block Vote (96-Y 0-N) (House) - 2025-03-24: Governor's recommendation received by House (Governor) - 2025-03-24: Governor's substitute printed (HB2034H2) (House) - 2025-03-03: Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., March 24, 2025 (Governor) - 2025-03-03: Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 3, 2025 (House) - 2025-02-22: Signed by President (Senate) - 2025-02-19: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB2034) (House) - 2025-02-19: Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB2034ER) (House) - 2025-02-19: Enrolled (House) - 2025-02-19: Signed by Speaker (House) - 2025-02-14: Passed Senate Block Vote (36-Y 0-N) (Senate) - 2025-02-14: Read third time (Senate) - 2025-02-13: Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (40-Y 0-N) (Senate) - 2025-02-13: Passed by for the day (Senate) - 2025-02-13: Rules suspended (Senate) - 2025-02-11: Reported from Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources (15-Y 0-N) (Senate) - 2025-01-29: Referred to Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources (Senate) - 2025-01-29: Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading) (Senate) - 2025-01-28: Read third time and passed House (80-Y 18-N) (House) - 2025-01-27: Printed as engrossed 25102025D-E (House) - 2025-01-27: Engrossed by House as amended (House) - 2025-01-27: Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources Amendments agreed to (House) - 2025-01-27: Read second time (House) - 2025-01-27: Moved from Uncontested Calendar to Regular Calendar (House) - 2025-01-24: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB2034) (House) - 2025-01-24: Read first time (House) - 2025-01-22: Reported from Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources with amendment(s) (22-Y 0-N) (House) - 2025-01-20: Subcommittee recommends reporting with amendment(s) (10-Y 0-N) (House) - 2025-01-15: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB2034) (House) - 2025-01-14: Assigned ACNR sub: Chesapeake (House) - 2025-01-07: Referred to Committee on Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources (House) - 2025-01-07: Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-13-2025 25102025D (House) ## Bill text - Chaptered, 2025-04-02: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1079088.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1079087.PDF) - Reenrolled, 2025-04-02: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1075067.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1075066.PDF) - Substitute, 2025-03-25: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1074415.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1074414.PDF) - Gov Recommendation, 2025-03-24: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1073616.HTML) - Enrolled, 2025-02-19: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1054875.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1054874.PDF) - Engrossed, 2025-01-27: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1027259.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1027258.PDF) - Amendment, 2025-01-22: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1024257.HTML) - Introduced, 2025-01-07: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1014509.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1014508.PDF) ## Related bills - HR671: Commending JR's Auto Care. (adopted) - SB941: Robbery; use of air or gas operated weapon, etc., penalty. (failed) - HB1746: Public safety officer; definition. (failed) - HB1600: Budget Bill. (failed) - SB1449: Data centers; site assessment for high energy use facility. (failed) - HB1609: Essential health benefits benchmark plan; Commission to consider coverage for infertility treatment. (to governor) ## Sources - [Chaptered (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1079088.HTML) - [Chaptered (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1079087.PDF) - [Reenrolled (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1075067.HTML) - [Reenrolled (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1075066.PDF) - [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1074415.HTML) - [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1074414.PDF) - [Gov Recommendation (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1073616.HTML) - [Enrolled (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1054875.HTML) - [Enrolled (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1054874.PDF) - [Engrossed (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1027259.HTML) - [Engrossed (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1027258.PDF) - [Amendment (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1024257.HTML) - [Introduced (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1014509.HTML) - [Introduced (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1014508.PDF) ## Related - [HR671: Commending JR's Auto Care.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HR671-2025) - [SB941: Robbery; use of air or gas operated weapon, etc., penalty.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-SB941-2025) - [HB1746: Public safety officer; definition.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB1746-2025) - [HB1600: Budget Bill.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB1600-2025) - [SB1449: Data centers; site assessment for high energy use facility.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-SB1449-2025) - [HB1609: Essential health benefits benchmark plan; Commission to consider coverage for i…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB1609-2025) - [Virginia bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/virginia/bills) - [Virginia state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/virginia) - [All state legislation](https://policyrisk.com/state-bills) Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB2034-2025 (as of 2026-10-17).